Timbra Ott was originally settled as a sister colony to Gandle Ott, and was considered a good choice for a settlement. However, sometime after the colony was established, earthquakes tore the planet's mantle apart and tidal waves destroyed the coastal settlements. The colony never recovered, and the planet was converted into a penal colony by the government of Kal'Shebbol during the final years of the Galactic Republic. Convicts labored to rebuild the planet's infrastructure to the point where it would be suitable for resettlement, but the rise of the Galactic Empire stopped all that. Sweeping into the Kathol sector, the Empire abandoned the colony and stranded the inmates there.

Riots ensued and many convicts died before self-appointed leaders enforced order and hatched plans for self-sufficiency. The plan worked, and Timbra Ott started to trade with other worlds in the sector. However, not all of it is legal, and smugglers openly plied their trade on the planet. Local law enforcement intervened to keep the population of Timbra Ott safe. By 8 ABY, a growing number of the population were lobbying to remove the smugglers and create a more lawful society since there was still a stigma attached to being from Timbra Ott thanks to the criminal nature of its past. The association was considered unfair by the youth of the planet, as by 8 ABY, two generations had been born since they last convict ship had landed.